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A Guide to the Dark
The Haunting of Hill House meets Nina LaCour in this spine-chilling horror YA about the ghosts we carry with us.
Something is building, simmering just out of reach.
The room is watching. But Mira and Layla don't know this yet. When the two best friends are stranded on their spring break college tour road trip, they find themselves at the Wildwood Motel, located in the middle of nowhere, Indiana. Mira can't shake the feeling that there is something wrong and rotten about their room. Inside, she's haunted by nightmares of her dead brother. When she wakes up, he's still there.
Layla doesn't see him. Or notice anything suspicious about Room 9. The place may be a little run down, but it has a certain charm she can’t wait to capture on camera. If Layla is being honest, she’s too preoccupied with confusing feelings for Mira to see much else. But when they learn eight people died in that same room, they realize there must be a connection between the deaths and the unexplainable things that keep happening inside it. They just have to find the connection before Mira becomes the ninth.
Listeners won't be able to stop listening to this edge-of-your-seat thriller!
Something is building, simmering just out of reach.
The room is watching. But Mira and Layla don't know this yet. When the two best friends are stranded on their spring break college tour road trip, they find themselves at the Wildwood Motel, located in the middle of nowhere, Indiana. Mira can't shake the feeling that there is something wrong and rotten about their room. Inside, she's haunted by nightmares of her dead brother. When she wakes up, he's still there.
Layla doesn't see him. Or notice anything suspicious about Room 9. The place may be a little run down, but it has a certain charm she can’t wait to capture on camera. If Layla is being honest, she’s too preoccupied with confusing feelings for Mira to see much else. But when they learn eight people died in that same room, they realize there must be a connection between the deaths and the unexplainable things that keep happening inside it. They just have to find the connection before Mira becomes the ninth.
Listeners won't be able to stop listening to this edge-of-your-seat thriller!
Audible Audio
First published July 18, 2023
52 people are currently reading
7837 people want to read
About the author
Meriam Metoui
2 books114 followersMeriam Metoui is the author of Portrait of a Shadow and A Guide to the Dark. Born in Tunisia, she now lives in Detroit, Michigan, with her partner and her puppy. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Hunter College, where she received a master’s degree in English literature.
When not writing, she can be found behind a camera, obsessing over a new TV show, or wondering what hidden pockets of magic to write about next.
When not writing, she can be found behind a camera, obsessing over a new TV show, or wondering what hidden pockets of magic to write about next.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 358 reviews
May 5, 2023
TW: Suicide
Mira and Layla are best friends and are in the middle of a spring break college tour road trip together. When their car breaks down in the middle of Indiana, they find themselves stranded at the Wildwood Motel and likely to miss their last and most important college tour. But something is off at this motel. Mira’s past, which has always haunted her, begins to manifest itself aggressively, though Layla doesn’t seem to notice. As tensions and dangers rise, the two of them have to work together with local teens to see if they can solve the mystery of the Wildwood Motel and escape its clutches.
This story is told from the POVs of two Muslim high schoolers who are friends. While I enjoyed this approach, it didn’t quite work out. The characterization of the two girls was a little too similar, as were their voices, which made it difficult to keep track of who was who for much of the book. I think the story would have been more impactful if it were told from only one POV or if their voices were more unique. The other characters were fine but weren’t written well enough for them to be engaging or for me to become emotionally invested in them. I do like how the author incorporated darker and difficult themes into this work; two characters had experienced deaths in their immediate families, and it added much to their characters and backgrounds.
There were photographs included throughout the work, which was a fun nod to Layla’s interest. They didn’t quite work for me though. It was jarring to be reading a work of fiction, then have photographs of real people show up on the next page. I do see why she chose to incorporate the photographs since they include visual evidence that the characters identify during the story relating to supernatural events, but it just didn't blend well with the prose for me. I’m not detracting from my rating for this, it’s just something that I didn’t care for.
I did enjoy how the author chose to handle the supernatural aspect of this work. There is some explanation included, but it's still left open-ended, which I quite enjoyed. However, I didn't find it to be scary or even suspenseful. This work shouldn't be classified as one of horror, maybe more of a supernatural mystery.
This was a good somewhat spooky YA read and a solid debut. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Publishing Group for allowing me to read this work, which will be published 18 July 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Mira and Layla are best friends and are in the middle of a spring break college tour road trip together. When their car breaks down in the middle of Indiana, they find themselves stranded at the Wildwood Motel and likely to miss their last and most important college tour. But something is off at this motel. Mira’s past, which has always haunted her, begins to manifest itself aggressively, though Layla doesn’t seem to notice. As tensions and dangers rise, the two of them have to work together with local teens to see if they can solve the mystery of the Wildwood Motel and escape its clutches.
This story is told from the POVs of two Muslim high schoolers who are friends. While I enjoyed this approach, it didn’t quite work out. The characterization of the two girls was a little too similar, as were their voices, which made it difficult to keep track of who was who for much of the book. I think the story would have been more impactful if it were told from only one POV or if their voices were more unique. The other characters were fine but weren’t written well enough for them to be engaging or for me to become emotionally invested in them. I do like how the author incorporated darker and difficult themes into this work; two characters had experienced deaths in their immediate families, and it added much to their characters and backgrounds.
There were photographs included throughout the work, which was a fun nod to Layla’s interest. They didn’t quite work for me though. It was jarring to be reading a work of fiction, then have photographs of real people show up on the next page. I do see why she chose to incorporate the photographs since they include visual evidence that the characters identify during the story relating to supernatural events, but it just didn't blend well with the prose for me. I’m not detracting from my rating for this, it’s just something that I didn’t care for.
I did enjoy how the author chose to handle the supernatural aspect of this work. There is some explanation included, but it's still left open-ended, which I quite enjoyed. However, I didn't find it to be scary or even suspenseful. This work shouldn't be classified as one of horror, maybe more of a supernatural mystery.
This was a good somewhat spooky YA read and a solid debut. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Publishing Group for allowing me to read this work, which will be published 18 July 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
June 15, 2023
No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. —C. S. Lewis
Trigger warning: suicide
This will be a short review, because I think it’s best if the reader goes in as blind as possible, but talk about an emotional read. 😭 A Guide to the Dark is an eerie sapphic YA horror novel, but at its heart, it’s an exposition on grief and how it affects us all in different ways, the journey through acceptance, and learning to forgive yourself even when you think it is impossible to do so. If you’re looking for a heavy read to bring you outside of your comfort zone in the best way possible, this one’s it.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Trigger warning: suicide
This will be a short review, because I think it’s best if the reader goes in as blind as possible, but talk about an emotional read. 😭 A Guide to the Dark is an eerie sapphic YA horror novel, but at its heart, it’s an exposition on grief and how it affects us all in different ways, the journey through acceptance, and learning to forgive yourself even when you think it is impossible to do so. If you’re looking for a heavy read to bring you outside of your comfort zone in the best way possible, this one’s it.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
February 2, 2023
Mira and Layla go on a road trip and wreck the car to avoid a murky figure in the road. They stay in a creepy motel in room 9 where 8 other people have met tragic deaths. Mira starts having horrific dreams of her brother’s death. They start looking into all the deaths with the hotel owners son Ellis.
This was an eerie read that gave me goosebumps long into the night.
Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this ARC that will be releasing July 18, 2023!
This was an eerie read that gave me goosebumps long into the night.
Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this ARC that will be releasing July 18, 2023!
August 30, 2024
*thinking of the best teen wolf episode* ah yes, that.
The audiobook was like 3 hours at the speed I listen to, yet this still felt like it went on and on forever
The audiobook was like 3 hours at the speed I listen to, yet this still felt like it went on and on forever
Want to read
December 20, 2022Things I love:
- queer horror
- creepy motels
- this cover
- queer horror
- creepy motels
- this cover
July 25, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up
A queer, paranormal mystery about grief and the challenges of coming out to your conservative Muslim family.
A Guide to the Dark follows best friends Mira and Layla on a college tour road trip when their car breaks down outside of a small town. While the car is getting fixed, they check into a motel and are assigned room 9- a haunted room where at least 8 people have died. Mira is grieving the loss of her younger brother and is convinced she's seeing his ghost, but Layla doesn't see anything. They end up getting involved in an investigation to uncover what is really going on in that motel room. Meanwhile the girls clearly have feelings for each other. But while Mira is out as bisexual, Layla is terrified to admit she is anything other than straight because of what it might mean with her family.
This has some fairly intense and dark moments, and a lot of it is about processing grief and the guilt that can sometimes come along with it. But it's also about coming of age and having the courage to be your authentic self. As a debut novel it's pretty good and I like how Mira and Layla are both from immigrant Muslim families that speak Arabic, but different cultures and dialects. There is kind of a lot happening in the story though which made me want more from the romantic plot arc. But it was enjoyable and something a little different from what I've been seeing which is cool. The audio narration is very good. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
A queer, paranormal mystery about grief and the challenges of coming out to your conservative Muslim family.
A Guide to the Dark follows best friends Mira and Layla on a college tour road trip when their car breaks down outside of a small town. While the car is getting fixed, they check into a motel and are assigned room 9- a haunted room where at least 8 people have died. Mira is grieving the loss of her younger brother and is convinced she's seeing his ghost, but Layla doesn't see anything. They end up getting involved in an investigation to uncover what is really going on in that motel room. Meanwhile the girls clearly have feelings for each other. But while Mira is out as bisexual, Layla is terrified to admit she is anything other than straight because of what it might mean with her family.
This has some fairly intense and dark moments, and a lot of it is about processing grief and the guilt that can sometimes come along with it. But it's also about coming of age and having the courage to be your authentic self. As a debut novel it's pretty good and I like how Mira and Layla are both from immigrant Muslim families that speak Arabic, but different cultures and dialects. There is kind of a lot happening in the story though which made me want more from the romantic plot arc. But it was enjoyable and something a little different from what I've been seeing which is cool. The audio narration is very good. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
July 18, 2023
Ummm this cover is giving me sapphic Supernatural vibes & I love it???
July 10, 2023
Please note that I received this via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
Not good. Beyond boring and no character development. I can’t tell you much except Layla takes photos and Mira has nothing but guilt due to her dead brother.
The plot was thin and the flow was pretty bad.
The photos took me out of the story. A few would have been fine, but it was overkill.
Full Review:
"A Guide to the Dark" follows best friends Mira and Layla. The two girls are on a road trip exploring colleges. The girls get into an accident which causes Mira's car to be undriveable for several days. Due to that, they are stranded in a motel in Indiana called the Wildwood. While there, the two girls meet the motel owner's son, Ellis, a mysterious man named Devlin, and a worker at the motel, Izzy. Ellis is worried about Mira and Layla staying in room nine where so many deaths have occurred. The 5 of them together try to figure out the why behind the mysterious deaths that have occurred at the Wildwood.
I can't really say much about the two main characters. There's not a lot there. I think if we had focused on just Mira and Layla with no outside characters, it could have worked? But instead we get smattering of information dumps at us from everyone and it was a lot. Also somehow not enough? Maybe it would have worked better if Metoui had actually started each chapter off with us getting into the head of a particular person who was about to die in room nine? The book started off that way, and instead from there we kept getting into the "head" of whatever evil presence remained. It just didn't work for me.
The flow was pretty awful. Nothing seems to occur until the very end.
The photos at first were interesting, but they started breaking up the story too much for me. One I thought was very well done! The character of Layla takes a photo of Layla in a swimming pool and you can see how the background around her is "smashed" and her face looks evil. If we had more of that, I would have loved the photo reveals.
The setting of the motel should have been more scary. I just felt bored by the whole thing. I don't want grisly bloody murder, but it just felt very meh, this is happening, oh well.
The ending was way too abrupt. I didn't get a chance to reflect on anything that was really happening or did happen.
Not good. Beyond boring and no character development. I can’t tell you much except Layla takes photos and Mira has nothing but guilt due to her dead brother.
The plot was thin and the flow was pretty bad.
The photos took me out of the story. A few would have been fine, but it was overkill.
Full Review:
"A Guide to the Dark" follows best friends Mira and Layla. The two girls are on a road trip exploring colleges. The girls get into an accident which causes Mira's car to be undriveable for several days. Due to that, they are stranded in a motel in Indiana called the Wildwood. While there, the two girls meet the motel owner's son, Ellis, a mysterious man named Devlin, and a worker at the motel, Izzy. Ellis is worried about Mira and Layla staying in room nine where so many deaths have occurred. The 5 of them together try to figure out the why behind the mysterious deaths that have occurred at the Wildwood.
I can't really say much about the two main characters. There's not a lot there. I think if we had focused on just Mira and Layla with no outside characters, it could have worked? But instead we get smattering of information dumps at us from everyone and it was a lot. Also somehow not enough? Maybe it would have worked better if Metoui had actually started each chapter off with us getting into the head of a particular person who was about to die in room nine? The book started off that way, and instead from there we kept getting into the "head" of whatever evil presence remained. It just didn't work for me.
The flow was pretty awful. Nothing seems to occur until the very end.
The photos at first were interesting, but they started breaking up the story too much for me. One I thought was very well done! The character of Layla takes a photo of Layla in a swimming pool and you can see how the background around her is "smashed" and her face looks evil. If we had more of that, I would have loved the photo reveals.
The setting of the motel should have been more scary. I just felt bored by the whole thing. I don't want grisly bloody murder, but it just felt very meh, this is happening, oh well.
The ending was way too abrupt. I didn't get a chance to reflect on anything that was really happening or did happen.
July 25, 2023
It was easily the bonus of photographs taken by the author that pushed me to pick this book up last week, and they really added to the creepy, mysterious vibe of the story. I had a whole nightlight on while reading this!
I loved that this wasn't just a story about two girls on a road trip, deciding it to stay in a weird motel room. Mira and Layla are are clearly in love, but are struggling with grief, and their strict parent's expectations for them and their futures.
I did think this story just needed a little more. The ending felt a little rushed, with a couple of decisions not making sense, and I wanted to know more about the previous residents of the room and the mysterious force that haunted the place.
Overall though, this was a really solid, memorable horror story that I could easily see myself re-reading, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the author writes about next!
I loved that this wasn't just a story about two girls on a road trip, deciding it to stay in a weird motel room. Mira and Layla are are clearly in love, but are struggling with grief, and their strict parent's expectations for them and their futures.
I did think this story just needed a little more. The ending felt a little rushed, with a couple of decisions not making sense, and I wanted to know more about the previous residents of the room and the mysterious force that haunted the place.
Overall though, this was a really solid, memorable horror story that I could easily see myself re-reading, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the author writes about next!
Want to read
January 27, 202226.01.2022 'two girls stranded in a haunted motel room'—i don't usually like horror but i can already feel this story would be changing that.
September 5, 2023
So, it's important to note this was a quiet, introspective look into grief and reconciling one's own guilt, with horror elements, rather than a Sapphic YA romance.
I listened to the audiobook which...Honestly, didn't contribute at all to the material. I found Mira's voice too old-sounding for the character, and Layla's didn't emote very much, flattening her as a POV. It was like they were new narrators. By listening, I missed the..photography that I think is included in the readable formats, although I don't think they would add anything to the experience either. According to other reviewers, I might be better off. The one good plus of the audiobook was Ramiz Monsef as the entity in room nine; the ending passages from the room's POV were chilling.
Otherwise, this was a short book that felt longer than it was, ruminating as it did more on grief and internal journeys of the characters rather than phantasmic action. It was alright for the start of Halloween season, and the Muslim & Arab rep was refreshing for YA horror, but I wouldn't call this memorable.
I listened to the audiobook which...Honestly, didn't contribute at all to the material. I found Mira's voice too old-sounding for the character, and Layla's didn't emote very much, flattening her as a POV. It was like they were new narrators. By listening, I missed the..photography that I think is included in the readable formats, although I don't think they would add anything to the experience either. According to other reviewers, I might be better off. The one good plus of the audiobook was Ramiz Monsef as the entity in room nine; the ending passages from the room's POV were chilling.
Otherwise, this was a short book that felt longer than it was, ruminating as it did more on grief and internal journeys of the characters rather than phantasmic action. It was alright for the start of Halloween season, and the Muslim & Arab rep was refreshing for YA horror, but I wouldn't call this memorable.
November 29, 2022
I may be biased but I'm a big fan of this book...
March 22, 2024
2.5 points
So. YA Horror used to be one of my favourite genres. I don’t know why it works better for me than adult horror, but it always has. When I first saw the gorgeous cover for “A Guide to the Dark” I knew I had to read it. Haunted house stories were always my favourite and this one comes with a bit of a twist: Mira and Layla are best friends on Spring Break when their car breaks down in a small Indiana town and they have to get a room at the local motel. But, as they soon find out, their room is haunted by an evil entity that has killed before.
This Is Not A Ghost Story, I'm So Sorry
The thing is, had the book actually focused on the haunted house story, on this entity in room nine, I would have probably loved it. If there’s anything better than a haunted house story, it’s a haunted hotel story after all. But this book’s focus is on anything but the ghost story. Mira and Layla spend a lot of time trying to figure out if the room is haunted and I couldn’t have been more bored by them sitting in their room, trying to stay up all night, just waiting for something to happen and then it doesn't. Like, as the reader I already know this room is haunted: There are small intermissions from the POV of the actual ghost in room nine. So why is it taking the girls so long to figure it out?
Around the 70% mark I just got salty since they were still denying anything supernatural was going on, no, it was all in Mira's head actually. Everytime something somewhat creepy happened, it was explained away right away. Layla's camera caught something weird? Must be that the lense broke during the car accident. Eight people died in the room over the years? Must be a coincidence. How do you expect me to be creeped out if you always give me a perfectly reasonable explanation for everything that could be remotely creepy? That's not how horror works. You need to leave some doubt, okay, you need to make me question the events! But with this one it's basically just: "I know it's a ghost because I read a chapter from the POV of a ghost, but actually, yeah, makes sense, I bet your camera is just broken."
Characters etc.
The ghost’s POV was one of my favourite things about the book though because his commentary gives the story at least some tension: Even though Layla doesn’t notice him and Mira only notices him sometimes, his POV keeps reminding you he is there all the time. I just wish the book would've worked with this tension more, make the entire situation feel a bit more creepy, a bit more dangerous because for big chunks of the book it just reads like two girls on a slightly botched holiday and that’s mostly because the book keeps losing focus so much. I'm not kidding, it's like the whole haunted-room-evil-ghost-story is just background noise, just a subplot, to a subpar angsty Contemporary YA Romance.
Mira’s POV was okay though. She is hung up on her younger brother’s accidental drowning in the year prior and the way the author describes her trying to work through her grief was one of my favourite things about the book, especially since it ties into the ghost story a little bit. Mira’s thoughts and memories about her brother’s drowning were genuinely sad and well-written. Layla on the other hand … oh, boy.
Layla’s POV was, for lack of nicer words, annoying and repetitive. Layla is a lesbian but she’s afraid to come out because of her parents’ conservative worldview. I get that and I think it could have been a good side story, but whenever the POV switches to Layla it’s the MAIN story. I think in the first 40% of the book alone Layla has five (5) long inner monologues about the same thing: “I want to come out, I’m in love with Mira, but I can’t come out because of my parents”, on and on it goes, over and over again. I was especially annoyed when she finally had a good talk about it with Mira, who is openly bi, but instead of some character growth happening she then goes: “It doesn’t matter, since I’m not a lesbian” and the inner monologues start up again.
I also came to dislike her severely for how she treated Ellis, a boy who works at the motel and who Mira is friendly with. Layla keeps repeating that she can’t date Mira anyways, because she’s not ready to come out, yet she also doesn’t want Mira to date Ellis because she wants her to herself. Girl, haha, stop, that’s toxic. This goes as far as her not wanting to order pancakes because Ellis already ordered pancakes (yeah ... yeah) or being gleeful about how Ellis will never know that Mira might like him back. The boy did nothing to her except be nice to her best friend/crush and she's being nothing but insane to him for NO reason. I lost all respect for Layla as a main character. It’s giving big “If I can’t have her, no one can” energy and it seriously ruined the book for me.
The Ending ...
I wanted to rate this three stars but the ending honestly dragged the rating down so quickly. I just cannot believe anyone thought this was the best way to end this story. For one, everything kicks off at like the 95% mark. Nothing really happens until that point and then suddenly everything happens at once, way too quickly. I'll obviously put this in a spoiler tag, because it's the actual ending of the book, but it bothered me so much:
Another thing that bugs me deeply is how there isn't really a conclusion at all. And then ... the book just ends. We don't really get any wrap-up. Layla and Mira go home and that's the last we hear of it. I was hoping there would at least be some reflection of what had happened at the motel, some glimpse of how the two girls might go on from there, but nothing.
Conclusion
So, in conclusion: The idea of the ghost story was good in theory but seriously under-utilised. This book is basically 30% actual ghost story and 70% teen angst, worrying about coming out, worrying about whether the girl you like likes you back, worrying about which college to go to etc., until it culminates in a dumpster fire of an ending. Like, I get it, it’s YA and it needs some teen drama, but the balance was seriously off and if a book is advertised as a horror story and even compared to “Haunting of Hill House” (I have to laugh), I expect some actual horror and ghost content and I don’t think I’m wrong for that.
All in all, this book felt like a nothingburger. It drags a very thin, barely there plot out over 370 pages filled with the same conflicts, the same memories, the same inner monologues over and over again but doesn't really go deep into its ghost story or its own lore. This book is like when you think something is a real apple and then you bite into it and it's papermaché. It just feels shallow and empty and like a waste of a great idea. I'm so sorry to be so blunt but I'm just disappointed I spent more than seven hours listening to this book only to walk away with empty hands and this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, like I swallowed a piece of that papermaché apple.
So. YA Horror used to be one of my favourite genres. I don’t know why it works better for me than adult horror, but it always has. When I first saw the gorgeous cover for “A Guide to the Dark” I knew I had to read it. Haunted house stories were always my favourite and this one comes with a bit of a twist: Mira and Layla are best friends on Spring Break when their car breaks down in a small Indiana town and they have to get a room at the local motel. But, as they soon find out, their room is haunted by an evil entity that has killed before.
This Is Not A Ghost Story, I'm So Sorry
The thing is, had the book actually focused on the haunted house story, on this entity in room nine, I would have probably loved it. If there’s anything better than a haunted house story, it’s a haunted hotel story after all. But this book’s focus is on anything but the ghost story. Mira and Layla spend a lot of time trying to figure out if the room is haunted and I couldn’t have been more bored by them sitting in their room, trying to stay up all night, just waiting for something to happen and then it doesn't. Like, as the reader I already know this room is haunted: There are small intermissions from the POV of the actual ghost in room nine. So why is it taking the girls so long to figure it out?
Around the 70% mark I just got salty since they were still denying anything supernatural was going on, no, it was all in Mira's head actually. Everytime something somewhat creepy happened, it was explained away right away. Layla's camera caught something weird? Must be that the lense broke during the car accident. Eight people died in the room over the years? Must be a coincidence. How do you expect me to be creeped out if you always give me a perfectly reasonable explanation for everything that could be remotely creepy? That's not how horror works. You need to leave some doubt, okay, you need to make me question the events! But with this one it's basically just: "I know it's a ghost because I read a chapter from the POV of a ghost, but actually, yeah, makes sense, I bet your camera is just broken."
Characters etc.
The ghost’s POV was one of my favourite things about the book though because his commentary gives the story at least some tension: Even though Layla doesn’t notice him and Mira only notices him sometimes, his POV keeps reminding you he is there all the time. I just wish the book would've worked with this tension more, make the entire situation feel a bit more creepy, a bit more dangerous because for big chunks of the book it just reads like two girls on a slightly botched holiday and that’s mostly because the book keeps losing focus so much. I'm not kidding, it's like the whole haunted-room-evil-ghost-story is just background noise, just a subplot, to a subpar angsty Contemporary YA Romance.
Mira’s POV was okay though. She is hung up on her younger brother’s accidental drowning in the year prior and the way the author describes her trying to work through her grief was one of my favourite things about the book, especially since it ties into the ghost story a little bit. Mira’s thoughts and memories about her brother’s drowning were genuinely sad and well-written. Layla on the other hand … oh, boy.
Layla’s POV was, for lack of nicer words, annoying and repetitive. Layla is a lesbian but she’s afraid to come out because of her parents’ conservative worldview. I get that and I think it could have been a good side story, but whenever the POV switches to Layla it’s the MAIN story. I think in the first 40% of the book alone Layla has five (5) long inner monologues about the same thing: “I want to come out, I’m in love with Mira, but I can’t come out because of my parents”, on and on it goes, over and over again. I was especially annoyed when she finally had a good talk about it with Mira, who is openly bi, but instead of some character growth happening she then goes: “It doesn’t matter, since I’m not a lesbian” and the inner monologues start up again.
I also came to dislike her severely for how she treated Ellis, a boy who works at the motel and who Mira is friendly with. Layla keeps repeating that she can’t date Mira anyways, because she’s not ready to come out, yet she also doesn’t want Mira to date Ellis because she wants her to herself. Girl, haha, stop, that’s toxic. This goes as far as her not wanting to order pancakes because Ellis already ordered pancakes (yeah ... yeah) or being gleeful about how Ellis will never know that Mira might like him back. The boy did nothing to her except be nice to her best friend/crush and she's being nothing but insane to him for NO reason. I lost all respect for Layla as a main character. It’s giving big “If I can’t have her, no one can” energy and it seriously ruined the book for me.
The Ending ...
I wanted to rate this three stars but the ending honestly dragged the rating down so quickly. I just cannot believe anyone thought this was the best way to end this story. For one, everything kicks off at like the 95% mark. Nothing really happens until that point and then suddenly everything happens at once, way too quickly. I'll obviously put this in a spoiler tag, because it's the actual ending of the book, but it bothered me so much:
Another thing that bugs me deeply is how there isn't really a conclusion at all. And then ... the book just ends. We don't really get any wrap-up. Layla and Mira go home and that's the last we hear of it. I was hoping there would at least be some reflection of what had happened at the motel, some glimpse of how the two girls might go on from there, but nothing.
Conclusion
So, in conclusion: The idea of the ghost story was good in theory but seriously under-utilised. This book is basically 30% actual ghost story and 70% teen angst, worrying about coming out, worrying about whether the girl you like likes you back, worrying about which college to go to etc., until it culminates in a dumpster fire of an ending. Like, I get it, it’s YA and it needs some teen drama, but the balance was seriously off and if a book is advertised as a horror story and even compared to “Haunting of Hill House” (I have to laugh), I expect some actual horror and ghost content and I don’t think I’m wrong for that.
All in all, this book felt like a nothingburger. It drags a very thin, barely there plot out over 370 pages filled with the same conflicts, the same memories, the same inner monologues over and over again but doesn't really go deep into its ghost story or its own lore. This book is like when you think something is a real apple and then you bite into it and it's papermaché. It just feels shallow and empty and like a waste of a great idea. I'm so sorry to be so blunt but I'm just disappointed I spent more than seven hours listening to this book only to walk away with empty hands and this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, like I swallowed a piece of that papermaché apple.
July 28, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
Once you check into room 9, you can’t leave. Mira and Layla are two best friends on spring break on their way to tour their future college. When they run into a car mishap that lands them at the Wildwood Motel in the middle of nowhere. Mira has an eerie feeling that something is terribly wrong with their room, she keeps dreaming about her brother that’s passed away and she can see him but Layla cannot. Layla is too wrapped up in her confusing feelings about her best friend, until they learn 8 people have died in their room.
I enjoyed the paranormal bits of this book and I thought it was an interesting and entertaining. Unfortunately there were parts that didn’t quite work in the story but I can’t quite put my finger on it. I listened to this as an audiobook and I liked the narrator. The narrator kept my focus on what was happening through the book and I think positively added to my book experience. And the audiobook itself went by pretty quick.
Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for the ARC, and giving me the chance to listen and review it honestly.
Once you check into room 9, you can’t leave. Mira and Layla are two best friends on spring break on their way to tour their future college. When they run into a car mishap that lands them at the Wildwood Motel in the middle of nowhere. Mira has an eerie feeling that something is terribly wrong with their room, she keeps dreaming about her brother that’s passed away and she can see him but Layla cannot. Layla is too wrapped up in her confusing feelings about her best friend, until they learn 8 people have died in their room.
I enjoyed the paranormal bits of this book and I thought it was an interesting and entertaining. Unfortunately there were parts that didn’t quite work in the story but I can’t quite put my finger on it. I listened to this as an audiobook and I liked the narrator. The narrator kept my focus on what was happening through the book and I think positively added to my book experience. And the audiobook itself went by pretty quick.
Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for the ARC, and giving me the chance to listen and review it honestly.
July 15, 2023
Oooh—I enjoyed this a lot! A small-town horror set in a motel with a haunted room ala The Haunting of Hill House is absolutely up my alley and I devoured this in two sittings.
Not only was this an intriguing examination into grief over the loss of a loved one and survivor guilt through a great horror lens, but a fresh queer take on romance from a Muslim perspective. Both girls are queer, one bi, the other lesbian, with families that aren't exactly accepting of their identities. It added a huge emotional layer to their characters and their teenage angst that I really enjoyed reading.
Not only was this an intriguing examination into grief over the loss of a loved one and survivor guilt through a great horror lens, but a fresh queer take on romance from a Muslim perspective. Both girls are queer, one bi, the other lesbian, with families that aren't exactly accepting of their identities. It added a huge emotional layer to their characters and their teenage angst that I really enjoyed reading.
May 14, 2024
Mira and Layla are best friends on a spring break road trip touring colleges together. When their car breaks down in the middle of Indiana, they find themselves stranded at the Wildwood Motel and likely to miss their last and most important college tour. But something is unsettling about this motel. As tensions and dangers rise, the two of them team up with the motel owner’s son to see if they can solve the mystery of the Wildwood Motel and escape its clutches.
This book had some dark moments with an intense focus on processing grief and survivor’s guilt. Mira has been grieving the loss of her younger brother and is convinced she's seeing his ghost everywhere she looks. Meanwhile, Layla is struggling to admit she is not entirely straight, but feels safe and supported with Mira if only she could find the words to be her most authentic self.
There was a lot happening throughout this story in terms of characters and subplots, and I think these elements worked against the novel as a whole. In the beginning of the book, we get a good level of development for our two main characters, but then as more character become introduced the characters began to feel very one-dimensional. There’s one main plot line, but I didn’t feel like it was that engaging. It honestly felt very slow-moving and repetitive. The subplots felt very half-baked and I honestly forgot for most of the book that there was this awkward romantic plot line. It never received a lot of development and felt a little too convenient with how it was wrapped up in a bow for the reader. Furthermore, this book didn’t really feel like a horror story. It read more like a mystery with ambiguous supernatural elements. Some of the supernatural elements were explained, but there are a lot of unanswered questions at the end of this one.
Overall, this book was lacking the intensity I expected from a horror novel and it fell flat in terms of both character and story development. The audiobook was amazing and there were some very heartfelt emotional discussions about sibling grief and the grieving process, but even with something so personal I still felt such a disconnect from this story.
Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Henry Holt and Co for an e-ARC via Netgalley. All opinions shared in this review are my own.
This book had some dark moments with an intense focus on processing grief and survivor’s guilt. Mira has been grieving the loss of her younger brother and is convinced she's seeing his ghost everywhere she looks. Meanwhile, Layla is struggling to admit she is not entirely straight, but feels safe and supported with Mira if only she could find the words to be her most authentic self.
There was a lot happening throughout this story in terms of characters and subplots, and I think these elements worked against the novel as a whole. In the beginning of the book, we get a good level of development for our two main characters, but then as more character become introduced the characters began to feel very one-dimensional. There’s one main plot line, but I didn’t feel like it was that engaging. It honestly felt very slow-moving and repetitive. The subplots felt very half-baked and I honestly forgot for most of the book that there was this awkward romantic plot line. It never received a lot of development and felt a little too convenient with how it was wrapped up in a bow for the reader. Furthermore, this book didn’t really feel like a horror story. It read more like a mystery with ambiguous supernatural elements. Some of the supernatural elements were explained, but there are a lot of unanswered questions at the end of this one.
Overall, this book was lacking the intensity I expected from a horror novel and it fell flat in terms of both character and story development. The audiobook was amazing and there were some very heartfelt emotional discussions about sibling grief and the grieving process, but even with something so personal I still felt such a disconnect from this story.
Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Henry Holt and Co for an e-ARC via Netgalley. All opinions shared in this review are my own.
April 25, 2023
While at C2E2 I was able to pick up an ARC for this spooky book dropping in October.
This book is interesting, depressing, creepy, and mysterious. It also has something that not a lot of books do (but when done it gives an extra layer of creepiness): photos taken by one of the characters!
I loved the LGBT rep, the POC rep. I loved that grief was the underlying theme of the book. I also enjoyed that the spooky aspects of the book took place in this hotel. The characters and how they interacted within the story created will certainly be of interest.
The only reason I knocked it down a star is that I felt some of the pictures of the characters did not fully match the descriptions in the book. Some were spot on, others felt like the author just grabbed her friends and took pictures of them just as place-fillers.
I really recommend the book besides that and I think it'll be a good hit with lgbt / poc.
This book is interesting, depressing, creepy, and mysterious. It also has something that not a lot of books do (but when done it gives an extra layer of creepiness): photos taken by one of the characters!
I loved the LGBT rep, the POC rep. I loved that grief was the underlying theme of the book. I also enjoyed that the spooky aspects of the book took place in this hotel. The characters and how they interacted within the story created will certainly be of interest.
The only reason I knocked it down a star is that I felt some of the pictures of the characters did not fully match the descriptions in the book. Some were spot on, others felt like the author just grabbed her friends and took pictures of them just as place-fillers.
I really recommend the book besides that and I think it'll be a good hit with lgbt / poc.
September 11, 2024
chyba największym moim rozczarowaniem z horrorami YA jest to kiedy myślisz że dostaniesz horror, creepy vibe etc.. a tego właśnie w książce brakuje.
myślę że gdyby to była zwykła angsty młodzieżówka, o wiele bardziej połączyłabym się z bohaterami, o wiele bardziej zaanagazowalabym się w fabule… a tak to przez ten pranormalny motyw (trochę rodem z pokoju 1408) sprawił tę tą książka była bardzo nijaka
a szkoda
myślę że gdyby to była zwykła angsty młodzieżówka, o wiele bardziej połączyłabym się z bohaterami, o wiele bardziej zaanagazowalabym się w fabule… a tak to przez ten pranormalny motyw (trochę rodem z pokoju 1408) sprawił tę tą książka była bardzo nijaka
a szkoda
February 29, 2024
2024 reads: 46/250
when mira and layla find themselves stranded in an unfamiliar town, they wind up in room 9 of the wildwood motel. they soon come to realize that this room won’t let them escape their ghosts.
small towns are the perfect settings for horror novels, so i was excited to pick this one up. i liked the eerie setting of the motel room (and just the town in general) and how this tied into mira and layla’s inner horrors. mira is haunted by nightmares of her dead brother, whose death she feels responsible for. layla is haunted by her feelings toward mira and how her parents would take this news. as the two struggle internally, weird things are happening externally, too (though this is mostly from mira’s side). i liked how everything was worked through in the book.
the audiobook narration was lovely, but while writing this review, i noticed that the blurb says this book includes photos by the author. i don’t remember these being described in the audio, so i’ll have to check my library for a physical or digital copy to see these!
when mira and layla find themselves stranded in an unfamiliar town, they wind up in room 9 of the wildwood motel. they soon come to realize that this room won’t let them escape their ghosts.
small towns are the perfect settings for horror novels, so i was excited to pick this one up. i liked the eerie setting of the motel room (and just the town in general) and how this tied into mira and layla’s inner horrors. mira is haunted by nightmares of her dead brother, whose death she feels responsible for. layla is haunted by her feelings toward mira and how her parents would take this news. as the two struggle internally, weird things are happening externally, too (though this is mostly from mira’s side). i liked how everything was worked through in the book.
the audiobook narration was lovely, but while writing this review, i noticed that the blurb says this book includes photos by the author. i don’t remember these being described in the audio, so i’ll have to check my library for a physical or digital copy to see these!
July 20, 2023
Thanks to Colored Pages Blog Tours and Fierce Reads for the physical book in exchange for an honest review and promotion. All opinions are my own.
A Guide to the Dark follows best friends Layla and Mira on their spring break college tour trip. But when their car breakdowns, they’re stuck in nowhere Indiana at the Wildwood Motel. Mira is haunted by her dead brother the longer they stay at the motel and it’s made worse when the girls find out eight people have died in their room in the past.
I absolutely loved this story!! Layla and Mira were the perfect pair to narrate this story and I really enjoyed seeing their relationship deepen into something new. Both girls are holding onto secrets that they want to tell each other and we see them try to find the courage to do so. This story speaks a lot about grief and guilt and how these feelings can drown us if we let them.
Overall, an extremely well down paranormal thriller/murder mystery with an ending that left me with chills. I hope we get to see more from Metoui in the future!
Rep: bisexual Arab Muslim MC with PTSD, sapphic Arab Muslim MC, Black cis female side character, various white side characters.
CWs: general queerphobia/queermisia, death of a sibling/child, death of a parent, death, grief, recurring visions of drowning, fire, injury/injury detail, car accident, mention of past deaths and suicides.
A Guide to the Dark follows best friends Layla and Mira on their spring break college tour trip. But when their car breakdowns, they’re stuck in nowhere Indiana at the Wildwood Motel. Mira is haunted by her dead brother the longer they stay at the motel and it’s made worse when the girls find out eight people have died in their room in the past.
I absolutely loved this story!! Layla and Mira were the perfect pair to narrate this story and I really enjoyed seeing their relationship deepen into something new. Both girls are holding onto secrets that they want to tell each other and we see them try to find the courage to do so. This story speaks a lot about grief and guilt and how these feelings can drown us if we let them.
Overall, an extremely well down paranormal thriller/murder mystery with an ending that left me with chills. I hope we get to see more from Metoui in the future!
Rep: bisexual Arab Muslim MC with PTSD, sapphic Arab Muslim MC, Black cis female side character, various white side characters.
CWs: general queerphobia/queermisia, death of a sibling/child, death of a parent, death, grief, recurring visions of drowning, fire, injury/injury detail, car accident, mention of past deaths and suicides.
May 17, 2023
I have been waiting for so long to read this book and now I wish I could go back and read it for the first time again. It is so dark and twisted and gutting but somehow simultaneously SO hopeful and beautiful. I love the central romance so much that I wanted to follow the characters off the edge of the final page just to watch them kiss. I don't know how I will ever sleep in a motel again. I am in awe that a book with that is so grippy and entertaining to read can also encompass such nuanced and beautiful thoughts about the grace we give others and how we find the strength to forgive ourselves.
November 2, 2023
this is exactly the sort of horror i love: eery and emotional with writing that gave me chills quite a few times. a guide to the dark builds up suspense so well and i had the best time reading this, though i do wish the ending wasn't so rushed.
January 23, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! Check out this link: https://southbookclub.wordpress.com/2...
A Guide to the Dark is a thriller / horror novel by Meriam Metoui, and one of my most anticipated books: I eagerly awaited getting the honor to read about what I’d heard was a complex look at grief and guilt through the eyes of two girls as they navigated a haunted motel room, the site of nine murders in the past. Indeed, on the surface, the book handles the topics wonderfully. The main character Mira’s grief, due to the recent loss of her brother, is handled with care and compassion; first she attempts to distance herself from the pain, though it then comes back to haunt her—literally—and forces her to navigate the treacherous waters of her own past. Her companion, Layla, is fully dedicated to her best friend—and later love interest—and while she herself deals with no loss, her horror is just as stark and terrifying as Mira’s. The atmosphere of the book begins to darken as the girls devolve slowly into terror, clutching desperately to each other. Both Layla and Mira are drawn out into two distinct character archetypes: Layla, the grief-stricken main character, believer in all things ghostly; Mira, the logical, irritated sidekick, though her loyalty never wavers. They could often feel underwritten—Layla’s character in particular, as her main personality trait was her love of Mira—but neither were badly written, so to speak.
The real issue with the book is the writing. Oftentimes one stumbles upon a perfectly crafted plot and atmosphere and set of characters, impaired only by the words used to describe them. This is exactly what happens here. At times, the writing comes across as too simplistic; this is assisted by the photos placed haphazardly across the book’s pages, but these photos alone are not enough to save the book. At times where more description is needed, Metoui seems to forgo it; and when the readers does not particularly require description—such as unnecessary accounts of side characters’ outfits, or a deep delve into Mira’s emotions at a time where the stakes seem too high to worry about teenage drama—we are forced to slog through pages of it. Nobody expect flowery, purple prose in a book such as this, but I would have enjoyed perhaps a bit more editing; a paragraph removed here, added there, etc.
All in all, A Guide to the Dark is an atmospheric, often genuinely scary book about grief and guilt and love, but it requires more assistance from the author’s pen to become truly memorable.
A Guide to the Dark is a thriller / horror novel by Meriam Metoui, and one of my most anticipated books: I eagerly awaited getting the honor to read about what I’d heard was a complex look at grief and guilt through the eyes of two girls as they navigated a haunted motel room, the site of nine murders in the past. Indeed, on the surface, the book handles the topics wonderfully. The main character Mira’s grief, due to the recent loss of her brother, is handled with care and compassion; first she attempts to distance herself from the pain, though it then comes back to haunt her—literally—and forces her to navigate the treacherous waters of her own past. Her companion, Layla, is fully dedicated to her best friend—and later love interest—and while she herself deals with no loss, her horror is just as stark and terrifying as Mira’s. The atmosphere of the book begins to darken as the girls devolve slowly into terror, clutching desperately to each other. Both Layla and Mira are drawn out into two distinct character archetypes: Layla, the grief-stricken main character, believer in all things ghostly; Mira, the logical, irritated sidekick, though her loyalty never wavers. They could often feel underwritten—Layla’s character in particular, as her main personality trait was her love of Mira—but neither were badly written, so to speak.
The real issue with the book is the writing. Oftentimes one stumbles upon a perfectly crafted plot and atmosphere and set of characters, impaired only by the words used to describe them. This is exactly what happens here. At times, the writing comes across as too simplistic; this is assisted by the photos placed haphazardly across the book’s pages, but these photos alone are not enough to save the book. At times where more description is needed, Metoui seems to forgo it; and when the readers does not particularly require description—such as unnecessary accounts of side characters’ outfits, or a deep delve into Mira’s emotions at a time where the stakes seem too high to worry about teenage drama—we are forced to slog through pages of it. Nobody expect flowery, purple prose in a book such as this, but I would have enjoyed perhaps a bit more editing; a paragraph removed here, added there, etc.
All in all, A Guide to the Dark is an atmospheric, often genuinely scary book about grief and guilt and love, but it requires more assistance from the author’s pen to become truly memorable.
April 2, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A Guide to the Dark had some clear strengths: I loved the creepy atmosphere, diverse atmosphere, and emotional moments. However, even with the obvious horror elements, the marketing of this novel as horror/thriller disappointed me. There was always a sense of foreboding present which made eager for some sort of twist or reveal, but the ending was weak and unsatisfying. I also wish this was either just one POV or for both POVs to be further developed. Mira's POV and her experiencing with grief were fine, but Layla's struggles with her sexuality felt...underdeveloped, to say the least. I'm all for sapphic yearning, but there was something a bit off-putting about the way Layla's longing was described. It was still a quick and enjoyable read, but I needed more depth to the characters and much stronger plot points.
A Guide to the Dark had some clear strengths: I loved the creepy atmosphere, diverse atmosphere, and emotional moments. However, even with the obvious horror elements, the marketing of this novel as horror/thriller disappointed me. There was always a sense of foreboding present which made eager for some sort of twist or reveal, but the ending was weak and unsatisfying. I also wish this was either just one POV or for both POVs to be further developed. Mira's POV and her experiencing with grief were fine, but Layla's struggles with her sexuality felt...underdeveloped, to say the least. I'm all for sapphic yearning, but there was something a bit off-putting about the way Layla's longing was described. It was still a quick and enjoyable read, but I needed more depth to the characters and much stronger plot points.
February 5, 2023
This book is great for people like me who want "soft" horror. It did not scare me but the mystery did keep me engaged. There are horror and potentially scary elements but nothing that made me fear too much for the life of the protagonists. It may be horror but it's still YA.
The highlight of this book clearly is the characters working through past trauma and current feelings. Mira is dealing with the accidental death of her borther and the guilt she still carries and Layla is struggling with her potentially unrequited feelings towards Mira and choosing her college path (yes one is not like the other). I really felt for Mira and her pain and how it all fed into the story.
The other thing that made me emotional was dealing with potentially unrequited feelings for your bff while on a roadtrip and what those feelings mean for you but also your family. This book did give me some good pining and drama
The highlight of this book clearly is the characters working through past trauma and current feelings. Mira is dealing with the accidental death of her borther and the guilt she still carries and Layla is struggling with her potentially unrequited feelings towards Mira and choosing her college path (yes one is not like the other). I really felt for Mira and her pain and how it all fed into the story.
The other thing that made me emotional was dealing with potentially unrequited feelings for your bff while on a roadtrip and what those feelings mean for you but also your family. This book did give me some good pining and drama
April 26, 2023
PSA: mild spoilers ahead.
I am not a friends-to-lovers girlie but I really liked this!! This is a YA sapphic paranormal thriller that actually left me feeling unsettled while reading (and that’s exactly what I want from a paranormal thriller!).
I wish we could have seen more from a few of the minor characters (@ Izzy) but overall it felt like the characters were their own person. You could see from the beginning that our two POVs had a close relationship but a strained one. We slowly start to get context for this and eventually a resolution at the very end but I would have like to see more of the best friend dynamic.
This was fast paced and so easy to get pulled into! I really really enjoyed this and I’m very excited to see what comes next from this author!
Thank you NetGalley for the arc.
I am not a friends-to-lovers girlie but I really liked this!! This is a YA sapphic paranormal thriller that actually left me feeling unsettled while reading (and that’s exactly what I want from a paranormal thriller!).
I wish we could have seen more from a few of the minor characters (@ Izzy) but overall it felt like the characters were their own person. You could see from the beginning that our two POVs had a close relationship but a strained one. We slowly start to get context for this and eventually a resolution at the very end but I would have like to see more of the best friend dynamic.
This was fast paced and so easy to get pulled into! I really really enjoyed this and I’m very excited to see what comes next from this author!
Thank you NetGalley for the arc.
July 23, 2023
I received an audio review copy from the publisher through Netgalley all opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this book a lot. However, I found Layla a bit difficult to like at times. She frustrated me in certain situations with her reactions. I had mixed feelings about the ending, since what was the cause of the problems in the room was never entirely clear, which was a bit frustrating, but the final part was also very good. I liked the diverse characters and the thoughts on immigrant parents and how they kind of get stuck in time. The romantic element was predictable. I wish the book had been longer, which is rarely a feeling I have in these types of books. Overall, a pretty good book!
The narration was excellent.
I enjoyed this book a lot. However, I found Layla a bit difficult to like at times. She frustrated me in certain situations with her reactions. I had mixed feelings about the ending, since what was the cause of the problems in the room was never entirely clear, which was a bit frustrating, but the final part was also very good. I liked the diverse characters and the thoughts on immigrant parents and how they kind of get stuck in time. The romantic element was predictable. I wish the book had been longer, which is rarely a feeling I have in these types of books. Overall, a pretty good book!
The narration was excellent.
July 21, 2023
I really, really wanted to like this book. It has everything I should like - haunted hotel, diverse characters, creepy plot.
I did not love this book.
I thought the photos were unnecessary and they kept a) pulling me out of the book and b) messing with how the characters looked in my head.
The plot was interesting, but sluggishly told. And I really didn't feel like the explanations made perfect sense.
I did finish the book and I think that there were definitely the seeds of something good there, but I ended it feeling meh and eager to move on to something different.
* ARC via Publisher
I did not love this book.
I thought the photos were unnecessary and they kept a) pulling me out of the book and b) messing with how the characters looked in my head.
The plot was interesting, but sluggishly told. And I really didn't feel like the explanations made perfect sense.
I did finish the book and I think that there were definitely the seeds of something good there, but I ended it feeling meh and eager to move on to something different.
* ARC via Publisher
December 31, 2022
I may be a little biased, but this book was the greatest book I have read! It has everything you want: Drama, Romance, and, of course, a haunted Motel. Meriam Metoui's writing captures you from the first sentence and leaves you wanting more. Her characters are relate-able, funny, and love-able. She guides you through the dark (see what I did there) with Mira and Layla and you almost want to stay in this Motel with them. Meriam Metoui is going to be huge. You heard it here first.
July 18, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! I love books with a spooky tone and I think this book does that well. I would reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys books that have a spooky atmosphere. I was able to get access to an audiobook copy and I think the narrator did a great job! 10/10 highly recommend! Special Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a copy of the audiobook prior to publication!
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